On
February 5, 2003, the Fairfield County Chapter held a
breakfast meeting at the Greenwich Library. Our hosts, Wynne
Delmhorst, Deirdre Sullivan, Jasmine Posey, and Library
Director Mario Gonzalez graciously provided tours of this
fabulous place. Twenty-five attendees enjoyed the tours,
made some new friends, and had a wonderful breakfast which
was catered by our perennial favorite, Hay Day Market.
Picture
this: 9:30 in on a weekday morning, and the Library is
bustling with activity. Many of the 170+ public computers
are already occupied. The Children’s Room, a delightful,
playful area, is packed with children waiting for the next
storytelling session.
And
we understand why! Greenwich Library, all 100,000 square
feet of it, is inviting; the staff, friendly and helpful;
the resources, abundant.
The
Peterson Wing, designed by Cesar Pelli, architect and former
Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, completed the
Library’s $16.5 million renovation and new construction
project. The Library’s main desk serves as the center of
Pelli’s “town square” design. Walking down “Main
Street”, the Library’s main hallway, patrons pass the
New Book and Check-Out areas, the Reference Area, and the
Peterson Business area. This design enables new patrons to
find their way around the library quickly and easily.
The
second floor is the site of an art gallery, which hosts
several exhibits a year. There are also meeting rooms, the
music area, including listening stations and a composition
room, and Teen Central, an area designed specifically with
teenagers in mind. The Children’s Room, located on the
third floor, has a wonderful storytelling room topped by an
illustration of the constellations.
But
the jewel in the crown of Greenwich Library is a room called
The
Jewel.
This stunning room, a small tower, really, is studded with
tiny windows and is paneled in a rich, warm wood. The room,
with data connections for 18 laptop computers, is intended
for quiet study only. I can imagine being easily inspired to
write the next Great American Novel while tucked away in
this tranquil area.
If
you haven’t had a chance to visit the Greenwich Library,
please do. I guarantee, you’ll be enthralled.
